Federal Magistrate Releases Washington Nurse

A federal magistrate judge has released one of six people indicted in an alleged illegal prescription drug ring.

Amanda Bunch was jailed Monday after a bond revocation hearing. On Wednesday the same magistrate judge released the registered nurse practitioner from custody after another hearing.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says Bunch was released on the same conditions as her previous release.

Court officials say the Washington woman had violated her conditions of pretrial release by contacting the wife of a co-defendant.

Bunch is charged with distributing and dispensing various drugs outside the scope of professional practice and not for legitimate purpose. Her two sisters, a Highway Patrol sergeant and a former Washington police officer have also been indicted in the case.

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One of the six people indicted in an alleged illegal prescription drug ring is back in custody. Forty-two-year-old Amanda Bunch was a registered nurse practitioner in Beaufort County and was one of the six indicted in March.

Bunch was jailed after a bond revocation hearing before Magistrate Judge David Daniel on May 21. According to court officials, the Court found that she had violated her conditions of pretrial release and revoked the release. She was remanded to the custody of the US Marshals. She is currently in the Edgecombe County Jail as a federal inmate.

A hearing to reconsider the revocation of Bunch's bond is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Bunch is charged with distributing and dispensing various drugs outside the scope of professional practice and not for legitimate purpose.

The Washington Daily News reports Bunch will go on trial in October along with her sisters, Lori Melton and Anna Moore. While the other three indicted - Justin Mixon, Kevin Owens, and Aaron Jones - are scheduled to go on trial next month.

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